So the supporters of Donald Trump tell me thousands of illegal aliens and dead people voted in 2020, and the election results in the states that voted for Biden can’t be trusted.

They tell me the poll workers and the guy in charge of election security, in the Trump White House, were Democratic operatives who can’t be trusted. And that the voting machines used in the 2020 election were programmed to switch Trump votes to Biden.

They also tell me that the mainstream media is fake news. That Liz Cheney, Mitt Romney, and others are RINOs — Republicans in name only. And that the state and federal trial and appellate courts, that are dominated by Republican-appointed judges, can’t be trusted after 60-plus lawsuits challenging Biden’s 2020 election win were tossed out of court for lack of evidence. And some Trump supporters have even told me that Donald Trump was sent by God to heal America.

And so Donald Trump — the twice impeached, criminally indicted former president and billionaire playboy, who stole classified documents, obstructed justice, encouraged an insurrection, cheated on his wives, whose business was found guilty of bank and tax fraud, who was found personally liable in civil court in connection with a sexual assault, has threatened to suspend the Constitution, and as I write this opinion letter, is on trial in a criminal court in New York — continues to have the loyal support of millions of Americans.

Folks, roll that around in your head for about three minutes and hopefully you’ll realize how mind bogglingly stupid and cult-like this sounds. Then consider that 70% of Republicans still believe the 2020 election was stolen, that Jan. 6 was a peaceful protest, and that Donald Trump is a descent and honest man that has done nothing wrong.

Donald J. Trump, Jan. 23, 2016: “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?”

FREDERICK LEHR

Grays River